Ten Injured After Ferry Strikes Pier in San Francisco

Photo credit: Blue & Gold Fleet, San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO — The U.S. Coast Guard says it is investigating accident in which a Bay Area ferry struck a piling at Pier 41 in San Francisco, causing multiple injuries.

The Coast Guard says that on Sunday evening the ferry Peralta, operated by Blue and Gold Fleet, allided with a piling while backing out of the terminal at Pier 41 at approximately 5:45 p.m. Ten passengers sustained minor injuries and were taken to a hospital for evaluation.

The Peralta was temporarily taken out of service, and inspectors and investigators from Coast Guard Sector San Francisco boarded the vessel. There was no structural damage to the vessel and only minor damage to the piling at Pier 41.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Monday marks the last day of San Francisco Fleet Week 2014, which over the weekend drew thousands of visitors creating large crowds across the city.

The incident also follows a recent NTSB safety alert to passengers and ferry operators regarding stairwell safety during docking and undocking maneuvers, specifically warning passengers to avoid standing in stairways during these high-risk times. It is unclear if those passengers injured in Sunday’s incident were standing in the stairways.